The texts in Cassirer, Kristeller, and Randall's The Renaissance Philosophy of Man (RPM):
F. Petrarca, "A Self Portrait," 34-35
F. Petrarca, "The Ascent of Mont Ventoux," 36-46
F. Petrarca, "On His Own Ignorance," 49-133
F. Petrarca, "A Disapproval...of Dialectic," 134-139
F. Petrarca, "An Averroist Visits Petrarca," 140-141
F. Petrarca, "Petrarca's Aversion to Arab Science," 142
F. Petrarca, "A Request..." 143
L. Valla, "Dialogue On Free Will," 155-184
Marsiglio Ficino, "Five Questions Concerning the Mind," 193-214
G. Pico della Mirandola, "Oration on the dignity of Man," 223-256
Pietro Pomponazzi, "On the Immortality of the Soul," 280-385
The texts in Kohl & Witt's Earthly Republic (EP):
F. Petrarca, "How a Ruler Ought to Govern His State," 35-78
C. Salutati, "Letter to Peregrino Zambeccari," 93-114
Leonardo Bruni, "Panegyric to the City of Florence,"135-178
Poggio Bracciolini, "On Avarice," 241-289
Angelo Poliziano, "The Pazzi Conspiracy," 305-322
The text in Coleman's The Treatise of Lorenzo Valla On the Donation of Constantine (ODC):
Lorenzo Valla, "The Donation of Constantine," 11-183
Study Questions
based on ER, RPM, & ODC:
About Petrarca:
1) What is the real meaning of the "Ascent of Mont Ventoux?" What does it tell us about humanism?
2) Explain and account for Petrarca's views of scholasticism, and of Averroism in particular.
3) Indicating how we should label Petrarca's "How a Ruler Ought to Govern His State," specifically describe and account for his advice?
4) How does "How a Ruler Ought to Govern His State" represent Humanism and how does it relate to nascent capitalism?
5) Using these readings, characterize Petrarca as a humanist.
6) Explain Petrarca's treatment in the essay, On His Own Ignorance, of the question whether he was a Ciceronian or a Christian. How does he compare Cicero, Christ, Plato, and Aristotle?
7) Describe the essay, On His Own Ignorance. What is its purpose, how does he seek to achieve it, and why does he claim to be ignorant?
About Salutati, Bruni, & Bracciolini:
1) What sort of life, or philosophy of life does Salutati promote in his "Letter to Peregrino Zambeccari?
2) What is Bracciolini's view of avarice and why does the humanist hold this view"? Discuss the importance of whether avarice is natural or not, whether avarice or lust are worse, and the belabored issue of miserliness. Relate this humanist stand on avarice to the philosophy of the civil society.
3) Identify and describe the views of Salutati and Bruni that might be described as mercantile, favoring the interests of those involved in large-scale, long-distance trade. What kind of a social philosophy are they promoting?
4) Which set of [See "Gene Brucker's Four Traditional Values Systems" in the useful diagrams and charts section] values predominates in Bruni and Bracciolini, that of the noble/long-distance merchant or that of the artisan/tradesman? (Do these humanists support glory, honor, munificence and pride or moderation, thrift, sobriety and hard work?) Identify and describe the values predominating in Bruni and Bracciolini.
5) Explain and account for the type of society promoted by Leonardo Bruni in his "Panegyric."
6) Identify and analyze Bruni's concept of justice, showing how he supports it (with authority) and, most important, explain what he believes the purpose of social justice is.
About Lorenzo Valla:
1) What is the view of the author on free will? Relate free will to the issues of foreknowledge, the will of God, and Boethius.
2) How is the "Dialogue on Free Will" a humanist document?
3) Show how Valla used humanist internal and external criticism to deny the authenticity of the "Donation of Constantine." Provide at least two specific examples of each kind of criticism used in the text.
4) Valla's "On the Donation" is often cited as an example of humanist secularism and anti-clericalism. To the contrary, argue that this docuemnt is a call for the reform of the Church and, as such represents Renaissance humanism at its height (i.e., it displays all the characteristics of the movement well).
About Marsiglio Ficino, Pico della Mirandola, & Pietro Pomponazzi:
1) Explain how (or where) Ficino wishes to place humankind in the cosmos and how this attempt represents a humanist approach.
2) What is the dignity of man, according to Pico, and how does this thesis represent a humanist approach?
3) How could one specifically argue that neither Ficino's nor Pico's writings represented humanism?
4) What is Pomponazzi's purpose and how does his thesis about humankind differ from those of Ficino and Pico?